Stolen Hearts and Poker Chips
by Ren Kayashima
Summary: With a wedding in the works, Spencer Reid's hopes for everything to go smoothly might just be a pipe dream. But if there's one thing he learn in his 30 years on this earth it's that you sometimes have to work at making things work. Can he and Gwenevere manage to make it to the alter? Sequel to Ibuprofen and Plasma.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

August 22, 2012

The dark movie room of David Rossi's home was filled with the BAU men. What had started as a low stakes poker game had quickly devolved into a movie night when the older men had found out that Spencer Reid had never once seen The Godfather trilogy. David Rossi, a longtime fan of the classic mob movies, positively aghast, demanded that the poker game end and that they watch the first Godfather movie. No one was completely sure if Rossi was just trying to end his horrible losing streak, or if he was just genuinely shocked that the resident genius and bibliophile hadn't seen one of the best movies in the world.

One movie down and Rossi could call it a night. Spencer seemed to have his mind blown by the genius of part one and now it was time for real talk. With a flip of a switch, the lights were back on and Dave had some unanswered questions that Spencer had been avoiding all night. Spencer had strategically managed to go the entire night without once revealing any sort of particulars when it came to the wedding plans that never seemed to be discussed. Spencer had zigged and zagged his way through cases and the bullpen, always finding something else to talk about other than his personal life.

"So have you and Gwen set a date for tying the knot?" Dave asked. After going through three rounds of poker without a word of weddings and nuptials, Dave was now taking matters into his own hands, seeing as Derek was willing to let the matter lie.

Spencer yawned and checked his watch. "We've talked about it," he answered vaguely. "We haven't gotten any closer to figuring it out though. That hasn't really stopped Gwenevere's mother from dropping off a new wedding magazine once a week. I'm sure that if we don't make a decision, she'll make it for us."

"Just don't elope, kid," Morgan chuckled as he leaned against the wall that led into Rossi's dining room. "If you do, everyone will have your head on a stick, and Garcia will be carrying it around."

Spencer cringed slightly at the mental images the thought provoked. The last thing he wanted was Penelope Garcia angry with him. He glanced at his watch. The gesture wasn't so much because he needed to know what time it was, it was more to drop the subtle hint to his teammates that he actually didn't want to talk about the wedding. "I should go home. Gwenevere is in Berkeley, so Lizzie and Greg are at the mercy of Walter."

Morgan, suddenly struck with a new thought, pushed himself off the wall and crossed the room so he was closer to Reid. "Are you guys going to find a new place? When you get married, you'll all be living together under one roof. I've seen both places, I'm pretty sure that you can't fit that much stuff in a three bedroom condo."

Spencer loosened his tie. He just wanted to get away from all the questions. There was still a lot up in the air, actually, everything was up in the air. "We haven't really talked about it," he answered with a gulp. They had only been engaged a couple months and both were busy with their jobs. Spencer waved good-bye before he quickly made his way to the front of Rossi's mansion, hoping that he wouldn't be followed and questioned further.

As Spencer stepped out into the warm August air, he took a deep breath and made his way to his old Volvo. As he unlocked the door and climbed behind the wheel he thought about his upcoming, but not immediate, nuptials to one Gwenevere Thompson, college professor and journalist.

After a hectic year with its ups and downs, Spencer knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Gwenevere, so he did the one thing that seemed logical. Spencer Reid proposed, and obviously, Gwenevere had said yes. Hence his current and constant state of unanswered questions.

He was almost certain he would have more answers for his friends and family once Gwenevere came back from California. She had been there for the past couple weeks working on some sort of project with an old professor as she waited for her job at Georgetown to start. Spencer, meanwhile, was traveling just about every week to work on a new case. Because they never managed to be in the same place at the same time, they never really sat down to talk about the wedding. They still talked daily, short, ten minute bursts of "how are things?" "I miss you," "I love you," and "don't forget this!", but they never managed to talk about their engagement. Spencer wondered that if things kept up like this if there would be no wedding.

Before turning the engine over, Spencer pulled out his phone and saw he had a text message from Gwenevere. _Don't forget to email Dr. Donovan and give her an update on your headaches. _

_Don't forget that you have an appointment with Dr. Goldsmith tomorrow at ten to discuss possible texts for your class on the Victorian period. _Spencer texted back.

He got a quick reply back. _I knew I was forgetting something_.

Spencer turned the car on and backed out of the driveway slowly. He wouldn't be going to his condo in D.C.. Instead, he would just go to Gwenevere's place where he had been staying for the past couple of weeks, make that months. It was only a few short blocks from the BAU, so he didn't really have to take the train as much, a godsend to his wallet, and as much as he hated to admit it, Gwenevere's condo seemed to work better than his own. Spencer never thought that would happen, but the small sounds were what really made Spencer feel comfortable. He liked listening to Lizzie's frustrated sighs as she worked on Chemistry or math, or the dull, thumping sounds of Greg's music as he worked on homework in his room. It was a nice feeling knowing that he wasn't really alone at any given time and there was a special kind of calm that took hold of him amidst the daily controlled chaos that was the Thompson family home.

Twenty minutes later, Spencer parked next to Gwenevere's mini cooper in the empty business parking lot that was hidden behind _Espresso Shot!_ and the assorted law offices that occupied the building. Spencer didn't even have to worry about trying to get a spot now that the offices and the café had been closed for several hours. If he wanted he could have parked in any of the 18 parking spots.

Spencer climbed out of his car and made his way to the tall staircase the led up to Gwen's front door. He unlocked the door and stepped in to find Gwenevere's niece and nephew playing the wii.

"Greg! STOP!" Lizzie shrieked as one of the boxing characters was knocked out.

"Lighten up, sis. It's just a game," Greg laughed.

"I'm so done," Lizzie said dropping her remote onto the couch with a huff. It was then that she noticed Spencer. "Hey Spencer. How was poker?"

"I won two hundred dollars. Where's Walter?" Spencer asked, looking around and finding the tall lumberjack figure missing from the main living area.

Walter was one of Gwen's best friends from childhood, and he lived in a studio apartment downstairs and as such was often times called in to babysit the two teenagers when both Gwenevere and Spencer were gone. Although, Gwenevere often times had to clarify that it wasn't so much babysitting as it was just making sure that both teens ended up getting to school and making sure they ate three meals a day.

"Bathroom," Greg answered. He turned off the TV and turned to Spencer with a smile. "I know you're busy planning a wedding with Aunt Gwen, but I want to build another robot. This time for a competition in Berkeley this spring."

Spencer didn't really have to think about it. "Sure!" he said. He had built a robot with Greg last year and it had permanently put Spencer in the position of coolest guy to date "Aunt Gwen" in a long time. Currently that robot was in Greg's closet and it had the function of tossing a ball for a friend's rather hyper dog. Also, Spencer just liked to make robots. "Do you have any ideas of what you want to build this year?"

"Robot butler," Greg answered with a smirk.

"I'm sure Gwen will love that," Walter chuckled as he came from the hallway. "Just be sure to program it right this time."

"WE FIXED IT!" Greg growled bitterly. "And I apologized for breaking Gwen's bedroom window. It wasn't supposed to go that high."

"Easy tiger," Walter laughed, holding his hands up in a placating manner. He glanced at Spencer. "How was poker?"

"Good, how was everything here?"

"Calm," Walter answered. He clapped his hands together and nodded at Spencer. "Now, I'm going to go work on my book reviews." He made his way to the door after mussing up Greg's shaggy brown hair and giving Lizzie a tight hug.

"Have a good night," Spencer said. "Thanks for everything." He sat down on the couch tiredly and blew out a sigh. He heard the door close and mentally made a note to lock it before he went to bed. He closed his eyes as Lizzie sat down on the couch next to him.

"So you're going to help me with my AP Physics this year, right?" Lizzie asked.

_Two more days_, Spencer reminded himself of when Gwen would be returning. Maybe then, he could actually sit down and start planning that wedding thing. "Of course. And you're applying to colleges this year, too."

0o0o0o0o0

Author's Note: I confess, when I said I would have a sequel out, I didn't think it would take me three months… But then the chaotic life of living on my own happened, and school started, and I haven't really had time to sit down and write. However, I'm determined to change that. . . Because let's be real. I miss writing for fun. And I can manage my time well enough now to a point where I think I have it figured out.

Anyway, I'm on a rampage to get these written and posted. So… maybe you'll get another chapter before the semester ends… Well, you will get another chapter. And hopefully you won't have to wait so long.

Ren


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

August 25, 2012

Spencer woke up to find the bedroom empty. Turning on his side, he found a note on Gwen's pillow.

_I had to go to the store, but can you meet me at the Georgetown Main Library later today? Say around two? We should really talk about some things. Namely wedding things, but other things too could be worked into the conversation. We could be a normal couple again now that I'm in the same generic area as you. _

Spencer picked up the note and as he sat up in bed. He smiled at the thought of things going a little smoother now that Gwenevere was back. The house calmed down a bit. The kids were going back to school on Wednesday and that's when Gwenevere started teaching. Everything was going to fall into place now that there was more of a schedule for everyone in the house. This was a thought that gave Spencer a type of inner peace that nothing else did these days.

Spencer stayed in bed for ten more minutes before crawling out of bed to get dressed and ready for the day. He was going to take Greg to a hardware store so they could get some preliminary gear and gadgets for their robot. He also had to stop at his condo on his way to talk to Gwenevere at Georgetown.

0o0o0o0

Spencer and Greg showed their ID's at the front desk as they signed into the university library. Greg disappeared towards all of the engineering books as Spencer made his way to the private study rooms. Gwen had been taking some time before classes started to meet up with her teaching assistants and discuss their plans for discussion and lectures. There was also some trepidation on the grad student's part due to the fact that Gwen was a new professor and likely not much older than they were. They had misgivings, but all Gwen had to do was show her degree.

Spencer found Gwen laughing with Alex Blake. Gwen was in a pair of stylish jeans and a cotton lace dress that was short enough to look more like a well-fitted top. She smiled at Spencer as she slid off the desk. "Spencer you made it!"

"Hey Reid," Alex greeted. "Gwen and I were just talking about our times at Berkeley."

Gwen leaned against the wall, but was practically bouncing. "Spencer, we're double major buddies," she said with a grin. With a shrug she conceded. "She's linguistics and psych, and I'm English and Rhetoric, but still, we both doubled."

"You doubled?"

Gwen rubbed at her temples. "Spencer, I told you this," she said with a laugh.

"Oh Gwen, surely you know by now that he doesn't always remember verbal input, visual input for all his books is another matter," Alex said with a smile. She looked at Gwen. "Were you going to apply to Boalt?"

Gwen nodded. "Alas, Literature seemed to be my true calling, and not law school. I mean, I ended up working in the law category sort of, but still I wanted to get my doctorate in English literature," she explained. "Get this Spencer, Alex is a fan of Fat Slice, but I'm more of a fan of Blondie's. Can you settle this?"

Spencer's eyes widened as he looked between the two women. "Cheeseboard," he answered quickly as he started messing with the leather strap of his messenger bag nervously.

"Spencer!"

"Reid!"

Both women were unsatisfied with his response, but Spencer saw it differently. Gwen was his fiancé, but he worked and collaborated with Blake. He was not going to pick sides. Not when it came to who had the best pizza in Berkeley.

Alex smiled as she made her way towards the door. "All right, I'll leave you be. I have to print my syllabus anyway. Gwen, do you want to do lunch on Thursday after your class?"

Gwen nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds great. My Victorian class gets out at twelve thirty."

Alex left the two alone and Gwen sat down at the desk. She pulled her shoulder bag up and set it in her lap so she could pull out the large stack of wedding magazines. She dropped them onto the desk, allowing a loud _smack! _to echo in the room. "I see my mom has been busy," Gwen mumbled

"She is obviously excited," Spencer offered as he sat down next to Gwen. "Have you thought about what you want?"

"I didn't want to until we could talk about it together. This is your wedding as much as it's mine," Gwen explained. "I mean, I get to pick my dress, but you should have just as much input as I do."

Spencer relaxed. Morgan's teasing had plagued him that Gwenevere would be some sort of bridezilla. However, it seemed like Gwen was taking all wedding plans in stride. She was organized, and didn't appear to be stressing out about anything in particular. He saw her legs bobbing up and down under that desk, but they weren't the normal nervous bouncing and instead were excited.

"We should figure out three things today, and then we can plan the rest later. Like in a week," Gwen laughed. She pulled out her MacBook Pro and messed with keys to wake it up. She kept looking at Reid to make sure that he was paying attention. "I don't want to take the reigns for everything, but I think it would be a good idea to figure out the date, our budget, and I want to show you a preliminary guest list for your input. After that, we can get into the nitty gritty. We can figure out wedding party, colors, and venue next. First up, the date." She scrolled into her applications and pulled up a calendar before turning towards Spencer.

Spencer leaned back in his seat and looked up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and imagined their wedding day. He pictured a small affair, outside on a warm spring day. Gwenevere walked towards him, his friends and family looking on with smiles on their faces. It was all so picturesque; he almost wondered if the image in his head could actually be brought to life. "Spring," he spoke up.

"Spring weddings are nice. Great actually," Gwen said as she looked at the calendar. She studied all of the little notations she had on each day. "My spring semester will end at the end of May. We could have the wedding earlier in spring if you'd like, but weather can be a little unpredictable in March. If we do it after the spring semester, then my TA's won't have to cover the classes I'll miss when I'm gone."

"Gone?"

"Our honeymoon," Gwen smiled nudging his knee with her own. She laughed as she turned back to the computer. "We can figure that out much later. We could do Spring Break too."

"Memorial Day weekend," Spencer suggested. "Long weekend and then no school for you. What about that Saturday?"

Gwen scrolled through the calendar and smiled as she nodded. "That's the twenty-fifth of May," she said. She laughed and clapped her hands as she looked at Reid. "Should we set the date?" she asked.

Spencer nodded as he blew out a breath he had been holding. He took Gwen's hand in his and squeezed it as he grabbed Gwen's notebook and clicked a pen as he prepared to write. He only hoped that it was this easy to plan everything else. "Do we need to come up with a guest list?"

"Nope," Gwen answered pulling out a sheet of paper. "Like I said, I have a guest list to show you. You can add, take away, whatever you like. It wasn't too hard to figure out, but it looks like we'll be in the realm of seventy five to a hundred guests. I ended up getting bored on the flight back from Berkeley."

Spencer scanned the list of names and saw that Gwen, in an effort to have a somewhat accurate guest count had grouped together couples, families, and for everyone who was single she had put a (+1) next to their name in case they brought a date. He got to the last group and laughed as he looked at Gwen. "FBI dudebro?"

"I was tired and I didn't know if you wanted to invite some more coworkers. See! I put Anderson on the list!" Gwen answered as she scooted her chair closer to Spencer to point at the young agent's name. "The preliminary count is at eighty-four."

Spencer coughed as he sat up a little straighter. Sure enough, written at the very bottom was the total count of guests plus their dates. He actually couldn't put it together in his brain that he really knew that many people and that same amount would be willing to go to his wedding. He glanced up and met Gwen's waiting eyes. "You put Gideon and Elle on here."

Gwen nodded as she pointed to the two names. "Gideon was your mentor and Elle was a good friend of yours, wasn't she. You talked about some of the things you guys went through, and how you were both kind of there for each other until she left. Why not invite them?"

"I-I don't even know where they are, let alone if they would come," Spencer started, swallowing hard. Gwenevere had managed to surprise him and in a good way. Sure enough, Elle and Gideon were people he would want there.

"Your fiancé was a private investigator, do you really think I can't find an address to send announcements and subsequent invites?" she asked. She shrugged. "It's really up to you. If you want to invite them, we will. I just thought having them on the list would be a good idea."

Spencer smiled, looking at the list again and finding the two names. "Thank you."

Gwen leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes, blowing out a breath. Spencer smiled at the serene expression that came over her when she was completely relaxed, as if Spencer's "thank you" was enough to cause any sort of worry to leave her body. It was a look that he had grown fond of over the year he had known her. He usually saw it as she was getting ready for bed, as she crawled under the covers to read a book.

Spencer looked around the room as he thought about what else they needed to talk about. Date was set, the guest list verified, and now it was onto a budget. "You mentioned a budget?" he asked leaning forward.

Gwen nodded as she bit her lip. She rested her elbows on the desk and rested her chin as she looked at Reid. "So here's the deal. My mom wants some sort of big affair. But I don't want that. If you want that, you need to tell me now, so we can work together, but my mom is ready to take the wedding plans into her charge," Gwen explained. "She wants to pay for it all! If she pays for it all, we're doomed to our wedding being under her control. I know there's this thing about the wedding not really being yours, but so help me God, if she takes over, I might want to elope."

"We can't do that!" Spencer said quickly. "Garcia will kill us."

"So will my mom," Gwen groaned as her shoulders slumped. He hands broke apart and she rested her head on the desk as she thought. Spencer took her hand and cupped it in both of his.

"We'll figure it out," Spencer said. "And I don't want a big wedding." He thought about the small, nonchalant affair that was JJ and Will's wedding and he remembered that he and Gwen talked about how perfect it was. They were engaged only a few weeks later. When he thought about his wedding he thought about that. He just didn't want it in Rossi's backyard.

"I think because my mom didn't get a wedding with Elise, she's just amped up now that I'm engaged… Wouldn't be the first time of course."

"You were engaged?" Spencer asked.

"NO!" Gwen shook her head as she sat back up. "Scott was though and I don't think Mom forgave him for the engagement ending suddenly."

"Why did it end?"

"I found his fiancé sleeping with my then boyfriend," Gwen answered with a frown. "I had terrible taste in men before you. I dated a drugged up surfer and a philandering violinist."

Spencer laughed slightly. He sat up straighter when he got an idea. "What if we cover half the cost," he suggested. "We can settle on a budget, go to your mom for the other half of the cost, and then she'll have some involvement, but we'll have control over the important parts."

"Like my dress and the venue?" Gwen asked getting excited. "Spencer Reid, you are a genius, I knew I said yes for a reason!" She pulled him into a kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Spencer hugged her closely and smiled. Things were now falling into place.

0o0o0o0

Author's Note: Hey guys! I hope you like the new chapter. I'm attempting to get my word count back up again, but this chapter is long-ish. I wanted to get the wedding plans started, and this is pretty fantastic way to do it.

**Moving on to the important bit of news. The Profiler's Choice Awards have started up again, and I have some great news. Ibuprofen and Plasma, this story's predecessor has been nominated for two awards. It's been nominated for Best Het Romance and Best Characterization of Spencer Reid. Now, if you really enjoyed that story, I encourage you to vote for it. The other author's nominated are also fantastic. And while you're voting, why don't check out the other categories and see if you can't find any new favorites. **

**The awards have left Chit Chat on Author's Corner and have a new Forum, so if you want to find the final voting ballot, you can go to my profile where there will be a link set up. It's just a couple clicks away and you'll be reading some of the best fic the fandom has to offer. There's something for everyone!**

Please Read and Review if you have a chance.

Ren.


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